Method and Apparatus for a Hand Toss-Catch Game

ABSTRACT

A unique apparatus and method for a hand toss-catch game is provided to a user for recreational and competitive gameplays. The apparatus includes a foldable game board of two panels connected with a hinge and a bracket to allow for quick deployment and storage. The panels incorporate various holes and bumps to facilitate increased difficulty. The method allows at least two teams to play and/or compete. Each player starts by tossing a ball to the game board at a starting position and catching the rebounding ball while remaining at the position. The player then plays toss-catch at each of the intermediate positions by stepping away to the next position until a finishing position. The gameplay switches to another team on the opposite side of the game board if the player does not catch the ball. The player/team with the highest number of positions played wins the game.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 63/027,611 filed on May 20, 2020.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to game devices and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hand toss-catch game apparatus and a method of playing a toss and catch game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous devices and methods in the game, toy or amusement category have been provided to people for the benefits of exercise, entertainment, recreation, team building, friendship enhancement, social interaction, etc. Board and/or table-type games such as table tennis require a considerable space and are relatively expensive due to the use of paddles or similar devices to propel the ball. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus and game to solve these drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a unique and innovative apparatus and method for a hand toss and catch game. The game apparatus includes a foldable game board of two panel, which allows a user to quickly stow away the game board when not in use or deploy the game board for a gameplay be easily deployed for a gameplay. The game apparatus comprises two panels connected with a hinge and a bracket. The bracket can be easily and releasably operated to secure the game board in place for the game and/or fold the game board for storage/transportation. Additionally, the game apparatus incorporates various holes and bumps on the playing surface of each of the panels to allow the user to increase the difficulty of the gameplay and the exercise intensity.

The hand toss-catch game method of the present invention offers a recreational and/or competitive gameplay with varying degrees of difficulty and exercise intensity. The method allows at least two teams with multiple players to play and compete in games and/or matches. Each player starts by tossing a ball to one of the panels at a starting position and catching the rebounding ball while remaining at the starting position. The player then plays toss and catch at each of the intermediate positions by stepping away from the panel to the next position until a finishing position. If the player does not catch the ball after tossing the ball to the panel at any position, the gameplay switches to a player of another team to start on the other panel positioned on the opposite side of the game board. The player or team wins the game with the highest number of positions played. If there is a tie after all players played, a sudden death is played at the finishing position through one player of each team tossing and catching the ball until there is only one player/team that wins at the finishing position. Thus, the present invention features a convenient, fun, and competitive gameplay for all ages and can be deployed at any suitable indoor or outdoor area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of the overall process of the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of another embodiment of the apparatus used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a play of sudden death of the method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of another embodiment of the method of the present invention, wherein multiple players are allowed for each team of the game.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention provides a unique and innovative apparatus and method for a hand toss and catch game. The game apparatus of the present invention features a foldable game board that includes two panels connected with a hinge and a bracket. The game apparatus allows a user to quickly stow away the game board when not in use or deploy the game board for a gameplay. The bracket can be easily and releasably operated to secure or fold the game board. The hand toss-catch game method of the present invention offers a pleasant and competitive gameplay with varying degrees of difficulty and exercise intensity. Additionally, the game method allows multiple teams with multiple players to play and compete in games and/or matches. Furthermore, the present invention features fun and competitive gameplay for all ages and can be deployed at any suitable indoor or outdoor area, including, but not limited to, gymnasiums, school blacktops, parks, or any other suitable area.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the toss-catch game apparatus of the present invention comprises a game board 10, and at least one ball 50. The game board 10 comprises a first panel 11, a second panel 12, at least one hinge 13, and at least one bracket 15. Each of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 comprises a ball impact surface opposite each other. The first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are terminally connected by the at least one hinge 13, and are terminally and foldably connected by the at least one bracket 15. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the game board is made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, wood, impact resistant polymer, or any other suitable material. The at least one bracket 17 is terminally connected to the first panel 11 and the second board 12. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one bracket 17 may take the form of a release-able hinge-lock bracket, or a folding bracket, so that the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are locked in a deployed configuration. Additionally, the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are pivotally connected to each other through the at least one hinge 13. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 serves as a vertical bounce platform of the game board 10. Further, the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 may be vertically configured to various angles with respect to a playing surface, providing a varying degree of difficulty of the gameplay. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ball 50 includes, but is not limited to, an elastic ball. In other embodiments, the ball may take the form of any suitable bounceable ball, and of materials with varying degrees of elasticity to facilitate varying degrees of gameplay difficulty.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, each of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 of the game board 10 comprise at least one hole 16. The at least one hole 16 traverses through the first panel 11 and the second panel 12. The at least one 16 may serve as a ball-trap zone, thus allowing the ball 50 to go through the toss-catch game board 10. Additionally, each of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 of the game board 10 comprises at least one bump 17, which is positioned on and distributed across the ball impact surface of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12. The at least one bump 17 may take the form of an irregular shaped bump that alters the rebound trajectory of the ball 50, resulting in an increase degree of difficulty of gameplay. Further, the ball impact surface of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12 may comprise at least one coating, which includes, but is not limited to, at least one coating, and the at least one coating may include a heat treatment coating, or a heat treatment surface.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the first panel 11 of the game board 10 comprises a first surface 21, a first edge 22, a first support edge 23 and a first side 14. The first support edge 23 is terminally positioned on the first panel 11 opposite the first edge 24. The second panel 12 of the game board 10 comprises a second surface 25, a second edge 26, a second support edge 27 and a second side 28. The second support edge 27 is terminally positioned on the second panel 12 opposite the second edge 26. Additionally, the at least one hinge 13 is mounted to both the first edge 22 of the first panel 11 and the second edge 26 of the second panel 12. Further, the at least one bracket 15 is mounted to both the first side 24 of the first panel 11 and the second side 28 of the second panel 12. Each of the first surface 21 and the second surface 25 are the ball impact surface. In some embodiments of the present invention, each of the first support edge 23 of the first panel 11 and the second support edge 27 of the second panel 12 comprises a slip-resistant material, and the slip-resistant material is terminally mounted to each of the first support edge 23 and the second support edge 27. Additionally, the slip-resistant material may include, but is not limited to, rubber material, rubber strip, plastic, plastic strip, polymer, polymer strip, material with grooves, any combination thereof, etc.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 to FIG. 3, the game board 10 comprises a handle 14. The handle 14 is terminally mounted to the game board 10 adjacent the at least one hinge 13. The handle 14 is connected to the first edge 22 of the first panel 11 and the second edge 26 of the second panel 12. The handle 14 allows the user to grasp and move the game board 10 conveniently.

As can be seen in FIG. 4 to FIG. 8, the method of the present invention offers a toss and catch game that allows a pleasant and competitive gameplay. The method provides at least one ball, wherein the at least one ball is an elastic ball (Step A), a game board comprising a first panel and a second panel, each having a ball impact surface in Step B. The method also provides a playing surface, wherein the game board is centrally and firmly positioned on the playing surface (Step C). Additionally, the method provides a starting position, a plurality of intermediate positions, and a finishing position on the playing surface to each side of the game board, facing the first panel and the second panel, respectively, wherein the starting position is at a predetermined distance away from the game board, and wherein each subsequent position is farther away from the previous position in Step D. Further, the method provides a first team and a second team, wherein each team comprises at least one player, and wherein the first team is decided to play first and to play on the side facing the first panel of the game board in Step E. Subsequently, the method starts the game through tossing the ball to the game board and catching the ball after rebound by one player of one team at the starting position (Step F). Next, the method continues to the gameplay through tossing and catching the ball by the same player sequentially at each of the remaining positions (Step G). Subsequently, the method switches the gameplay to the other team, if the player did not catch the ball after tossing to the game board at any position or played at the finishing position (Step H). The method resumes the game by repeating Step F to Step G by one player of the other team (Step I) and ends the game if one team played at least one more position than the other team, wherein the team played at least one more position is the winning team in Step J, as can be seen in FIG. 4. A successful play of toss and catch includes tossing the ball at any position to the board impact surface of either the first panel or the second panel, and catches the ball after rebound while staying at the position without moving out of the position. An unsuccessful play includes, but is not limited to, any toss missing the game board, missing the catch after tossing the ball, tossing the ball to the other side of the game board, ball hitting an edge of the game board and missing the catch, player stepping over the position while tossing, moving out of position while trying to catch the ball etc.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the method providing at least one hole to both the first panel and the second panel in Step B, and the at least one hole traverses through the ball impact surface. The at least one hole on each panel of the game board allows the user to increase the game difficulty and/or exercise intensity. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the method provides at least one bump to both the first panel and the second panel in Step B, wherein the at least one bump is positioned on the ball impact surface. The at least one bump is also used to increase the game difficulty and/or exercise intensity for the user.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, the method provides a sudden death play to be played by both the first team and the second team in Step J, if there is a tie after all players of both teams played. The sudden death play allows each team to play toss and catch in turn at the finishing position, one player a time, until one team catches the ball but the other team misses. The team that catches the ball is the winning team and the method awards the team that wins the sudden death play.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the method switches the gameplay to another player of the same team as the current player in Step G, if there is more than one player of each team and the current player did not catch the ball after tossing it to the game board. This provision allows multiple players for each team in the game. The number of players, however, is the same for both the first and the second team. Subsequently, the method resumes the play through repeating Step F to Step G by the new player.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the method may comprise a starting position, at least one continuing position, a last position, a volley pass, and a plurality of volley increments, a first player, and a second player. The method is initiated by each player moving to their respective starting positions along the first panel and the second panel of the board, as shown in FIG. 1. The method is played with one or more players.

The starting position may take the form of a set initial distance to the game board. Once in position, the first player can throw the game ball at the game board, bouncing the game ball along the first panel. The first player will then attempt to catch the rebounding ball. If the first player catches the ball, then the first player completes a volley pass if the plurality of volley increments is set to a one catch-throw volley. The plurality of volley increments may take the form of any numerical value of catch-throw volleys needed to complete the single volley pass. Once a volley pass is fulfilled, the first player can then proceed to the proceeding continuing position where the player will continue to fulfill the set volley pass. The at least one continuing position may take the form of evenly spaced distance markers that constitute the continuing positions that the player must traverse to reach the last position. The last position proceeds the at least one continuing position and concludes the method, such that the completion of the last position concludes the game where the first player can restart the game by going back to the starting position. If the first player fails to catch the ball or misses the first panel, then the first player must pick up the game ball and try again at the position left off. The method may be played with the first player and the second player, such that the second player is situated along the second panel side of the game board. In this instance, the second player competes against the first player, where the completion of the last position decides the winner. In varying embodiments of the method, the game rules may adapt to different styles of gameplay including, but not limited to, king of the hill, group play, elimination, or any other styles of gameplay involving multiple players.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for playing a toss and catch game comprising: a game board; at least one ball; the game board comprising a first panel, a second panel, at least one hinge and at least one bracket; each of the first panel and the second panel comprising a ball impact surface opposite each other; the first panel and the second panel being terminally connected by the at least one hinge; and the first panel and the second panel being terminally and foldably connected by the at least one bracket.
 2. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball being an elastic ball.
 3. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: each of the first panel and the second panel of the game board comprising at least one hole;
 4. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: each of the first panel and the second panel of the game board comprising at least one bump; and the at least one bump being positioned on the ball impact surface.
 5. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball impact surface comprises at least one coating.
 6. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one coating comprises a heat treatment.
 7. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket comprises a foldable bracket.
 8. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the first panel of the game board comprising a first surface, a first edge, a first support edge, a first side; the first support edge being terminally positioned on the first panel opposite the first edge; the second panel of the game board comprising a second surface, a second edge, a second support edge, a second side; the second support edge being terminally positioned on the second panel opposite the second edge; the at least one hinge being mounted to both the first edge of the first panel and the second edge of the second panel; the at least one bracket being mounted to both the first side of the first panel and the second side of the second panel; and each of the first surface and the second surface being the ball impact surface.
 9. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: each of the first support edge of the first panel and the second support edge of the second panel comprising a slip-resistant material; and the slip-resistant material being terminally mounted to each of the first support edge and the second support edge.
 10. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 9, wherein the slip-resistant material comprises a rubber material.
 11. The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the game board comprising a handle; and the handle being terminally mounted to the game board adjacent the at least one hinge.
 12. A method of playing toss and catch game comprising the steps of: (A) providing at least one ball, wherein the at least one ball is an elastic ball; (B) providing a game board comprising a first panel and a second panel, each having a ball impact surface; (C) providing a playing surface, wherein the game board is centrally and firmly positioned on the playing surface; (D) providing a starting position, a plurality of intermediate positions, and a finishing position on the playing surface to each side of the game board, facing the first panel and the second panel, respectively, wherein the starting position is at a predetermined distance away from the game board, and wherein each subsequent position is farther away from the previous position; (E) providing a first team and a second team, wherein each team comprises at least one player, and wherein the first team is decided to play first and to play on the side facing the first panel of the game board; (F) starting the game through tossing the ball to the game board and catching the ball after rebound by one player of one team at the starting position; (G) playing the game through tossing and catching the ball by the same player sequentially at each of the remaining positions; (H) switching to the other team, if the player did not catch the ball after tossing to the game board at any position or played at the finishing position; (I) resuming the game by repeating step (F) to step (G) by one player of the other team; and (J) ending the game if one team played at least one more position than the other team, wherein the team played at least one more position is the winning team.
 13. The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in claim 12 comprising: providing at least one hole to both the first panel and the second panel in step (B); and wherein the at least one hole traverses through the ball impact surface.
 14. The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in claim 12 comprising: providing at least one bump to both the first panel and the second panel in step (B); and wherein the at least one bump is positioned on the ball impact surface.
 15. The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in claim 12 comprising: providing a sudden death play to be played by both the first team and the second team in step (J), if there is a tie after all players of both teams played; wherein each of the team plays toss and catch at the finishing position until one team catches the ball but the other team misses; and awarding the team that wins the sudden death play.
 16. The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in claim 12 comprising: switching to another player of the same team as the current player in step (G), if there is more than one player of each team; if the current player did not catch the ball after tossing it to the game board; and resuming the play through repeating step (F) to step (G) by the new player. 